ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – The University of Hawaii coed sailing team is in11th place after the first day of final round competition at the ICSA Gill Coed National Championship at the St. Mary’s River in Maryland.

Weather conditions improved markedly over the last few days with nearly 20 races—nine the A division and 10 in the B division—completed over the course of the day. The Rainbows have 190 points in the 18-team final. Yale leads the regatta with 87 points.

Despite being in 11th place, UH was able to snag a pair of first-place finishes in the 18-team fleet races. The A division duo of Adam Pokras and Ana-Melissa Kea captured the eighth race of the day, while Chuck Eaton and Katrina Berry took home first in their 10th and final race. Pokras and Kea are in 8th in the A division with 80 points, while Eaton, Berry and Madeline Kennedy are in 12th in the B division with 110 points.

UH advanced to the finals after finishing in fifth place in the Western Bracket semifinals held during the previous two days.

The championship concludes tomorrow with the winner claiming national title and the Henry A. Morss Memorial Trophy.